Deb, I am not picking on you but I am a stickler for details. ML's specific question was: .."but again back to the fundamental question...do your hybrid crappies overcome the unpredictable spawning problem which drives the management factor?" I understand that the Ken's "hybrid" crappie may have decreased spawning as you pointed out, but I THINK ML's question was how predictable is the decreased spawning or is the tendency for decreased spawning consistant from year to year? Is it predictable or consistent each year? I assume that since they have only been working with the hyb crappie a few years it is really hard to determine the longer term predictibility. I figured my comment would bring you back into this topic.
I am not sure how well SMB will perform long term in smaller ponds in TX. Bob L. is doing some hobby research with these fish in one of his ponds. He will update us in the magazine on their progress in 2006. I question how effectively SMB will control abundant small crappie (3"-4"). SMB have a less tendency than LMB to go pelagic for forage.
